ANA MARIA RUIMONTE, the "Spanish Mezzo&Soprano", sings a range of arias, art songs, zarzuela and other material from the 19th-21st centuries in a variety of languages and a range of characters and moods representing ALMA Y VIDA DE MUJER - THE SOUL AND LIFE OF A WOMAN. She manages to cover both the roles of Romeo and Juliet in different songs. This album was recorded in two successive days, mostly in first takes and “live in the studio,” and mastered on a third day in Fall 2015 at Silvertone Studios in Ardmore PA.” Laurie Rogers accompanies on piano. Lewine says of the effort, “An impressive show of artistry and stamina by two amazing musicians and a superb engineer. 12 TONADILLAS EN EL ESTILO ANTIGUO (GRANADOS) El mirar de la Maja. La mujer enamorada explica poéticamente cómo su mirada es profunda, cálida y llena de sentimiento. A ella, le produce sonrojecimiento y a su amado, esta mirada le mata de amor. The woman in love explains in a poetical way how her sight is profound, hot and full of feeling. To her, this produces her blush and for her lover, this sight produces results in his death. Amor y Odio. Una mujer enamorada de un hombre que supo acceder a su corazón para después abandonarla. Ella siente que su vida es una sombra por ello. A woman in love for a man who knew how to reach her heart but then abandoning her. She feels her life is a shadow because of this. La maja Dolorosa III. Una mujer a la que la muerte ha arrebatado a su amado. Manifiesta que le amaba y que le sigue amando a través de sus recuerdos. Con él todo era hermoso, los difíciles momentos pasados, y los buenos. The woman lost her love because he died. Here she says that she loved him and she continues loving him through the memories. With him everything was beautiful, the difficult times which have already passed and the good ones. LA DEL MANOJO DE ROSAS (SOROZÁBAL) No corté más que una rosa. Ambientada en Madrid de 1934, Pablo Sorozábal compuso este sainete con ritmos tradicionales como pasodoble, mazurca y chotis, fox trot o la farruca, acercando la zarzuela a la modernidad de su tiempo, e incluso a la opereta. En la trama sentimental de esta romanza, Asunción, señorita venida a menos, se lamenta de la relación mantenida con un falso amante, jugando con las metáforas de rosa, gavilán, nido de amor, los cielos y el jardín. Manifiesta aquí sus sentimientos de dolor, rencor, amargura y coraje. In Madrid in 1934, Pablo Sorozábal composed this “sainete” with traditional dance rhythms such as the “pasodoble”, “mazurca” and “chotis”, “fox trot” or “farruca” bringing the zarzuela style closer to the modernity of his times, and to the operetta. In the sentimental plot of this romanza, Asunción, who is a girl who amounted to little, is complaining about a relationship with a false lover, playing with metaphors of rose, hawk, nest of love, the skies and the garden. She shows here her feelings of pain, hate, bitterness and courage. LA VIDA BREVE (FALLA) Vivan los que ríen. Esta ópera ambientada en el barrio del Albaycin en Granada a principios del siglo XX refleja la gitana Salud y su sufrimiento tras haber sido engañada por un hombre “payo” que, finalmente, tras mantener relaciones con ella, termina casándose con Carmela. El padre de Salud se presenta en la boda para defender a su hija. Aquí Falla considera a Salud, y no Carmen, el prototipo de mujer gitana española real. Muestra la discriminación social sufrida por los gitanos pobres. Salud manifiesta su desengaño a través de este lamento para concluir que prefiere la muerte al sufrimiento. Utiliza las flores y los pájaros como metáforas. This opera, set in the Albaycin area in Granada at the beginning of 20th C, shows the gypsy Salud and her suffering after the cheating of the rural unsophisticated man who, finally, after having sexual relations with her, marries Carmela. The father of Salud appears in the wedding to defend his daughter. Here Falla considers Salud, as opposed to Carmen, to be the prototype of a real Spanish gypsy woman. He shows the social discrimination suffered by the poor gypsies. Salud shows her disillusion through that lament to conclude that she rather prefers death to her suffering. She uses the flowers and the birds as metaphors. EL DÚO DE LA AFRICANA (FERNÁNDEZ) Canzión Andaluza. Una humilde compañía de ópera prepara L’Africaine de Giacomo Meyerbeer. El ruín empresario Querubini tiene como lema no pagar a nadie para ahorrar al máximo. Su mujer, la Antonelli, es la soprano principal. Es una gitana de sevilla graciosa y rica, que sal derrama, y el tenor está enamorado de ella, mientras Querubini arde de celos. Para colmo, la hija del empresario está detrás del tenor. Todo un culebrón en aquellos tiempos. En esta romanza, la Antonelli, coquetea con el tenor delante de todos, que comentan entre ellos y se ríen de la situación. Ella utiliza el río y los ojos del puente en una romanza llena de alusiones sexuales. A humble opera company prepares to present the opera "L’Africaine" by Giacomo Meyerbeer. The low businessman Querubini has a reputation of not paying anyone so he can save as much as possible. His wife, the Antonelli, is the principal soprano. She is a gypsy from Seville and she is a gracious and delicious woman who spreads salt, and the tenor is in love with her, while Querubini is burn of jealousy. Indeed, the daughter of Querubini is after the tenor. This is a big tangle (embroilment) in those times. In this romanza, the Antonelli flirts with the tenor in front of the people in the company, who makes comments and laugh at this situation. She uses the river and the eyes of the bridges in a romanza (song) full of sexual allusions (references). MALASPINA O LA IDEA DE LA FELICIDAD (GRECO) L'ultimo sogno de Malaspina. Ambientada entre Nápoles y el océano Pacífico. Malaspina emprende una exploración científica al nuevo mundo, América, en busca de la felicidad. Finalmente se plantea el tema de la colonización, los colonizados y los colonizadores. Debido a las distintas lenguas, distintas culturas, no es posible el diálogo y surge la violencia. Regresa a España para denunciar lo que está sucediendo con los indígenas americanos. Malaspina es juzgado por la corte de Carlos IV injustamente, por no tener posibilidades de defenderse ni de ser escuchado. Finalmente, es condenado al exilio. En este aria final, Malaspina descansa y recuerda su niñez en su país natal. Escucha una voz femenina que parece hablar en italiano. Esta mujer aparece en forma de sueño. Los textos aluden a la lluvia que cae lentamente sobre el lago, donde se reflejan las estrellas durante la noche. Es una obra de surrealismo contemporáneo español. This opera is based on an historical voyage from Naples to the Pacific Ocean from 1789-1794. Malaspina leads a scientific exploration to the new world, America, looking for happiness. The subjects also include the politics of colonization, the colonized and the colonizers. Because of so many different languages and cultures, it is not possible for the peoples to talk and violence surges. Malaspina returns to Spain to denounce what it is happening with the indigenous American people. Malaspina is unfairly judged by the court of Carlos IV. Not permitted to defend himself, he is condemned to exile. In this final aria, Malaspina rests and remembers his childish in his natal country. He listens to a feminine voice which appears to be speaking Italian. This woman appears as a dream. The lyrics makes allusion to the rain which falls slowly over the lake, where the stars are reflecting during the night. It is a piece of Spanish contemporary surrealism. TELEARIA (DURAN-LORIGA) El Contestador. Esta pieza es una canción de Jacobo Durán-Loriga basada en un poema de Vanesa Pérez-Sauquillo. Representa a una mujer que es una máquina automática, y que, por medio de un discurso largo y tendido, manifiesta situaciones abstractas, que son posibles motivos de la llamada teléfonica. This song by Jacobo Durán-Loriga from a surrealistic poem by Vanesa Pérez-Sauquillo represents a woman as an answering machine, and that, by means of a long speech, realizes abstractions of situations, becoming possible motifs for that telephone call. CARMEN (BIZET) Habanera. Carmen está ambientada en Sevilla en 1820. Es una joven gitana con mucho carácter. Con esta habanera, con ritmos cantados por los españoles andaluces gaditanos que emigraron a Cuba, Carmen embruja a su amado, llevándole por el “camino de la perdición”. The opera Carmen is set in Seville in 1820. The titular Carmen is a strong character as a young gypsy. With this habanera, reflecting the rhythms sung by the Andalusians from Cádiz who emigrated to Cuba, Carmen bewitches her lover, taking him down the path of the lost. HERODIADE (MASSENET) Vengemoi d'une supreme offense! Ambientada en Israel en el año 30 d.C., Juan Bautista era un predicador judío considerado como profeta en las tres religiones: judía, cristiana y musulmana. El bautizó a Jesús de Nazaret y profetizo que era el hijo de Dios. Pero también se atrevió a denunciar la relación incestuosa de Herodes con su cuñada, Herodías. Tras una fiesta, la hija de Herodías, Salomé, baila y Herodes le concede un deseo, cualquiera que fuera. Manipulada por su madre, pide la cabeza de Juan, a lo que Herodes, por haber dado su promesa, no se puede negar. Aquí Herodías le cuenta a Herodes la acusación y los insultos del profeta, pidiéndole su cabeza por tan gran ofensa hacia ellos. Ella está indignada, ofendida y sufre por ello. Set in ancient Judea in 30 A.D., this opera concerns Juan Bautista (John the Baptist) as a Jewish preacher who was considered a prophet by the three religions: Jewish, Christian and Muslim. He baptized Jesus of Nazareth and prophesied that he was the son of God. But he also was dared to denounce the incestuous relation of Herodes with his sister-in-law Herodiade. After a party, Herodiade’s daughter, Salomé, danced and Herodes promised to grant her one wish whatever it was. At the instigation of her mother, she asked for the head of John, and Herodes, because of his promise, could not refuse. Here, Herodías tells Herodes the indictment and the insults of the prophet, and ask him for his head because of the great offense to her. She is indignant, offended and she suffers for it. DER ROSENKAVALIER. OP 59. (STRAUSS) Es is ja, eh als eins. Ambientada en Viena en el siglo XVIII, Octavian es un joven de 17 años, amante y al servicio de la mariscala que, finalmente se enamora de una joven. Debe disfrazarse de mujer y el primo de la mariscala, el barón, intenta seducirle. In 18th Century Vienna, Octavian is a young man, 17 years old, lover and under the command of the wife of the sherriff until finally he falls in love with a young lady. He must disguise himself as a woman, but the cousin of the wife, the baron, tries to seduce him (her). ROBERTO DEVEREUX (DONIZETTI) All'afflito è dolce il pianto. En Londres, en 1601, Sara, la duquesa de Nottingham, llora mientras lee un libro. Ella está casada con el duque, pero ama al conde de Essex, el cual también le corresponde. Por eso, ella siente que ese casamiento la ha conducido a una tumba en la vida. Para complicar la situación, la reina de Inglaterra siente profundos celos. In London in 1601, Sara, the duchess of Nottingham cries as she is reading a book. She is married to the duke but she is in love with the Count of Essex, who corresponds with her as her lover. She feels that her marriage took her to the tomb in life. It complicates everything that the Queen of England is profoundly jealous. I CAPULETI E I MONTECCHI (BELLINI) Lieto del dolce incarco. Transcurre en Verona en el siglo XIII. Romeo y Julieta están enamorados, pero Julieta está comprometida con Tebaldo. Entre ambas familias existe una guerra. Romeo se presenta disfrazado para proponer la paz a cambio del matrimonio de ambos. Sin embargo, Capellio y los Capuletos rechazan la oferta. En el aria, Romeo acepta el reto de guerra, matando finalmente a Capellio, sin saber que se trataba del hermano de su amada. Set by Shakespeare in Verona, Italy in the 13th Century, Romeo and Juliet are in love, but Juliet is promised and engaged to Tebaldo. A war exists between the Capuleti and Montecchi families. Romeo arrives disguised to propose a peace to be accomplished by the marriage among Romeo and Juliet. However, Capellio and the Capuleti refuse the offer. In this aria, Romeo accept the dare to war, and he kills Capelio, without knowing that he is the brother of his love. CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA (MASCAGNI) Voi lo sapete, o mamma. Todo transcurre en Sicilia en el siglo XIX. Santuzza es una joven aldeana que ha sido seducida por Turiddu. Pero Turiddu sólo buscaba provocar los celos de Lola, que era su novia y mientras él se encontraba realizando el servicio militar, ella se casó con un rico del pueblo. Finalmente, lo consigue y Lola inicia una relación adúltera con él. Santuzza le cuenta a la madre de Turiddu lo que está sucediendo con su hijo y la gran tristeza de su desengaño. The opera takes place in Sicily in the 19th Century. Santuzza is a young village woman who has been seduced by Turiddu. But Turiddu was only provoking the jealousy of Lola, who was his girlfriend. However, while he was in the army, she married a rich man of the town. Finally, he pursues her until Lola starts an adulterous relationship with him. Santuzza tells the mother of Turiddu what it is happening with his son and the enormous sadness she is feeling as a result. WEST SIDE STORY (BERNSTEIN) I Feel Pretty. Leonard Bernstein's Broadway musical/operetta sets the tale of Romeo and Juliet among the Puerto Rican and Italian gangs in the ghettos of 1950s New York City. This song expresses the joy of a young woman (Maria in the character of Shakespeare's Juliet) newly in love and feeling beautiful. In this collection, Ana María Ruimonte has now sung the roles of both Romeo and Juliet.